fælni

Fælni is a noun used in Icelandic to denote fear, dread, or panic in response to a threat or danger. It describes an intense emotional state that can be brief or more sustained. In everyday language, fælni can express both acute reactions to danger and a general sense of unease related to a situation. In clinical contexts, the term for a specific, persistent fear is usually fóbía (phobia), while fælni conveys the broader affective experience rather than a diagnostic category.

Etymology: The word is of Germanic origin and has cognates across related Scandinavian languages. It appears in older Icelandic texts and remains in use in modern Icelandic, where it is primarily a general term for fear or dread.

Usage: Fælni is commonly used in prose and speech to describe emotional states rather than to classify them scientifically. It can be intensified by modifiers or used in idiomatic expressions dealing with courage, threat, and avoidance.

See also: Fear, Anxiety, Phobia, Panic.